


The three idiots

by iloveitblue



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, description of a blood bath, not an actual bath
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-16
Updated: 2015-04-16
Packaged: 2018-03-23 06:25:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3757822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveitblue/pseuds/iloveitblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where we see everything in the perspective of three people.</p><p>(Also the title doesn't explain anything. I just couldn't think of a better one.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The three idiots

Phil Coulson was a silent legend in the halls of SHIELD. Being new was not an excuse to not know who Phil Coulson was because even inside the Academy, he was the subject of the first rumor you will ever hear.

‘He once blinded a man with a tennis ball. From 100ft. away.’

'He took down an entire army of terrorists with just a paper clip.’

'He once fought an actual dragon. No, really. I’m serious. Stop laughing, you ass.’

And on and on it went. Ridiculous exaggerated stories that came from who knows where. But the point is, Phil Coulson is a legend inside SHIELD that demands respect even before you met him.

But this story is not about him.

It’s about three junior agents that thought wrong.

“That’s him!” Lim said excitedly, gripping her friend’s arm and eyes widening at a senior agent that walked by. “No, it’s not.” She sighed, then perked up again when another senior agent walked by. “That’s him!”

“For Fuck’s sake, Lim.” Demesa groaned. “That’s a woman.”

Lim narrowed her eyes, “It is? I can’t see.”

“You’re not wearing your contacts?” Hernandez asked. Lim shrugged and that was the end of that conversation.

Officially, they were taking their lunch break. Unofficially, they were looking for Phil Coulson. They’ve heard stories about this man since the day they entered the Academy. Sadly, stories do not include pictures.

“Maybe he’s not even here.” Demesa told them, She wasn’t really interested in seeing Coulson.

“Rumor #762: Coulson is never leaves the base unless its for a mission or he is dragged out from his office by Nick Fury himself.” Lim recited.

“Personally, I’d like to see the latter.” Hernandez commented, taking a bite from his sandwich.

The two other girls nodded in agreement.

—

There was a rumor that when Coulson recognized you and your abilities, you are the best candidate to be the greatest at whatever that thing is.

That was why, when Coulson told Demesa that she was good, but she could be better while Maria Hill trained them in hand held weapons, she almost fainted swooning.

“Not interested in Coulson, my ass.” Hernandez teased her and Lim snorted.

“Shut up.” She rolled her eyes, still grinning from ear to ear.

—

Agent Barton did not enter SHIELD the way most of them did. He was recruited in. Which actually deserved respect because that meant that he was so good the SHIELD wanted him to work for them. But that did not mean he got instant respect. Junior agents hated him because they had to work harder than most people just to get into the Academy then double that just to graduate into Junior Agent status.

And Barton - dumb, useless, and a circus freak - walks in here, looks at all of them, sneers and goes to one corner to sit. Everybody hated him in that instant. He thought he was better than all of them because he was recruited? Fuck that noise.

“I bet you, he hasn’t even held a gun before.” Hernandez whispered to his friends.

Lim huffed and Demesa snorted. “That’s a sucker’s bet. I ain’t taking that.” Lim said, crossing her arms across her chest.

“Me neither.” Demesa shook her head.

They’re all proven wrong when he hits every target every single time with scary precision and with whatever weapon Agent Hill threw at him.

“Huh. I guess no one wins.” Hernandez commented, slightly impressed.

Of course they didn’t see Agent Barton the next day because apparently he’s already being called out for his first official mission. And with Coulson, to boot.

—

Barton was in love with Coulson.

Anybody with eyes could see that. The way he laughed at Coulson’s dry sense of humor and smiled every time after talking to Coulson was enough to convince anyone.

“I feel kind of sorry for him.” Demesa said after they were all dismissed from the briefing.

“Why? Because he’s in love?” Lim asked.

“Just because you don’t have a heart doesn’t mean nobody has, you ice queen.” Hernandez rolled his eyes at her.

“Oh, fuck you guys. I’m just saying. Pining like that has to be hard. Especially since he’s working closely with You-know-who almost constantly. That’s torture.”

“That’s true.” Hernandez nodded. “But its better than not being able to see You-know-who at all. This way, he gets to talk to him. Indulge himself a little.”

“Yeah, but all that’s doing is raising his hopes up for the inevitable rejection that follows. And you know that that’s going to fucking hurt as it is. What more if they become closer? There’s a lot of factors to consider, not just the emotional stability of both parties, we’re talking about their working compatability here. The level of comfort they have about working with each other. The trust that they’ve built… Are you really willing to risk all of that, just to indulge yourself?” Lim added.

Hernandez hummed in thought.

—

Barton had saved the whole op with not more than 2 seconds on the clock. It was the very scenario made for the phrase hanging by a thread.

According to the unofficial debriefs from the agents that was with Barton, the place had already been in shambles when they got there. Bodies lay everywhere. While they searched for survivors, several members of the strike team including the senior agent that led the op were taken captive as quietly as the enemies could manage. 4 remained and they tried to retreat to go call for back up because they knew that they couldn’t do anything without a senior agent.

But Barton apparently had other plans. He didn’t wait for the other 3 to agree with him. Just told them his plan and ran for it. Leaving the other 3 to in the faux command central. an hour pass, then two and Barton comes back out with the rest of their team, but not without a few enemies chasing after them.

They had made it to safety, but they didn’t do what they were sent there to do. To save the civilians from the ethnic cleansing.

The three watched, As Coulson took one look at Barton, walked towards him, and pulled him towards a quiet hallway and then down for a hug in a comforting way no handler ever showed their asset inside the base.

They heard Coulson whisper reassurances that they had done everything they could but they were simply too late. That there was nothing they could have done.

They peeked around a corner to see that Barton was gripping Coulson’s suit tightly as he hugged the man back, buried his head in the crook of Coulson’s neck and just quietly sobbed.

That night, Our trio’s opinions changed on a few things. One, was that Barton was NOT a dumb, useless, circus freak. Two, that his feelings were returned. He just didn’t know it yet.

**Author's Note:**

> [Here on tumblr](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/116562377506/follow-me-on-snapchat-i-sometimes-post-funny)


End file.
